Letter: Blessed to have Gosar

We citizens of Congressional District 4 are blessed to have an excellent congressman in Paul Gosar representing us. Sadly, a recent letter from Bob Lynne criticizes Rep. Gosar for doing exactly what is supposed to: acting as a check on the Executive Branch of the federal government.

In his letter, Lynne takes Gosar to task for "blocking President Obama" and campaigning "on a fear of government." Those who understand the Constitution know that the Legislative and Executive branches of our government are to act as checks and balances on one another. So our congressman is doing exactly what he should when he blocks the unwise actions of this president.

As to the "fear of government," Gosar is in good company. It was our first president, George Washington, who said: "Government is not reason; it is not eloquence. It is force. And force, like fire, is a dangerous servant and a fearful master."

Throughout the 20th century alone, governments have slaughtered more than a quarter of a billion people. I certainly hope my congressman, as well as my fellow citizens, fear the government! The founders of our nation were keenly aware of the need to restrain the power of the state, and crafted our constitution to enact a "government of the people," so that no president could ever wield the tyrannical power of a king. Our president is a citizen serving us, nothing more. He stands on equal footing with our representatives in Congress, and is subject to their advice and consent. Gosar recognizes the tendency of this president to act like a monarch, and I am grateful for his diligence in obstructing such actions.

Thomas Jefferson said, "That government is best which governs least." Thank you, Congressman Gosar, for doing your duty to restrain abuses of power by the president and upholding the Constitution.